


Art of Jedi

by Olorisstra



Series: Art of Jedi [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: Jedi Apprentice Series - Jude Watson & Dave Wolverton, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Different types of Jedi there are, Force powers and their use, Jedi Corps FTW, Jedi being Jedi having to deal with working for a Senate, Kail is a thinker and it will show, More characters added as they come in, Tons of Jedi, Tons of OCs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-15
Updated: 2016-04-15
Packaged: 2018-06-02 09:03:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6560272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Olorisstra/pseuds/Olorisstra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Art of Movement a higher form of movement developed for use by the Jedi Order. </p><p>The Order trained their younglings in this art by means of an obstacle course. A reflex and agility exercise; students were ordered to traverse a difficult obstacle course within the Temple, while avoiding beams of light cast from the ceilings, walls, and floors.</p><p>Some of those younglings grew up to incorporate that mentality in their approach to dealing with the many challenges of their life. They usually did well enough for themselves, Force willing and galaxy allowing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Art of Jedi

Jedi Investigator Kail bowed to the Council, retreating out of the High Council Chamber without ever turning his back to the Councilors.

A serene smile spread out on his Zeltron face as soon as the doors to the Chamber closed and he kept smiling as he made his way to his quarters, feeling as if the Force itself was beaming down at him on this glorious, blissful day.

He nodded to the Jedi who passed him by, stopping to chat briefly with the ones he knew, asking about their lives, their missions, their studies. He smiled at the Younglings and offered them the sweets he kept in a bag in his pocket, just in case he saw them, and he complimented the padawans he saw again on the progress they were making and the ones he was introduced to on being Chosen.

It was with genuine pleasure and interest that he committed to accompaning Knight Fahacharwaalar and his padawan Rowrarhahon to the new Silverback Wookie Cultural Exhibition in the evening. The request to perform an Art of Movement demonstration in the afternoon, for the Katarn Initiate Clan along with Knight Yimirri, was one he welcomed, pleasantly surprised to find out that she was slated to come in around lunch hour. He also had to regretfully decline to join Master Shen Haat and the Senator she was Advisor to at the Opera two days hence, as he wasn't going to be on Coruscant anymore by then. He did promise to make up for it when he came back and, when she apprised him of it, he asked her to convey his congratulations to the Senator for his newly drafted engagement.

He was almost within reach of the elevator which would take him down to his lodgings' level, when he felt Han's familiar presence in the Force. He slowed to a stop and turned, easily spotting his former padawan's blonde curls in the crowd. He made a gesture, one that Han responded to warmly, and waited for the other man to reach him.

"You are glowing within the Force, Master." Han greeted him, his Coruscanti accent flawless. "May I extend an invitation to partake in a light meal with me at Issheth's Amber Pavillion, along with my congratulations for whatever good fortune has befallen you?"

Kail smiled and politely refrained from asking how the man had managed to secure an offer to a meal there, as it would have been poor etiquette to answer that way to such a politely worded invitation. Especially one to an establishement of that caliber.

Issheth's Pavillions were the current fad with the Senate: elegant and outrageously pricy tea rooms, that also served food from all over the galaxy, themed by either material or color and scattered around Coruscant in strategic positions, all chosen to be in high end lots and to offer up-high beautiful views of the expanse of Coruscant. For Han to be able to afford to treat his former Master there, the man had to have made some serious strides in his Coruscant Standing since they had last talked. It made Kail feel as if he might actually start to glow, as Han had suggested, so strong was the pride he felt.

"You may." He agreed, with a little dip of his head. "And I will accept both, gladly." He added, offering his hand and waiting for the other man to take it. Once Han did, Kail gently drew him close enough to briefly hug. He also let go as soon as Han started to drawing back, not wanting to infringe on Han's personal space longer than it was strictly necessary.

"I am happy to have caught you Master." Han grinned. "You are still a hard man to track."

"I should hope so." Kail laughed, letting the other man lead the way towards the Temple's entrance. "I have yet to be saddled with enough time off to grow rusty." He joked as they walked side by side.

"As if you would allow time off to be uneventful and unfilled enough to let you became rusty." Han replied, a grin playing into the corner of his mouth, despite how seriously he actually meant the words. "I dread the day I will find you easily." He added, again with more truth than joke.

Kail was always only a call or a message away, but it was traditional for Han to try and find him in person. It was something that had started as a tracking exercise Kail had assigned his then padawan, to both refine his perception of the Force and to make him practice trying to find information on a person's whereabouts, without letting those he talked to or asked about it get alerted to the fact that a real search was going on. In time it had morphed into a quirk of their relationship and a source of reciprocal teasing.

"I dread the day I will be sleep deprived enough not to realize you are coming." Kail replied, warmly.

Han gave him a well feigned look of doubt and then sighed, the grin disappearing as he grew truly serious. "You were right, Master, about the Railak Case. It was connected to Lan Amella's circle." He said, his voice lowering as they passed the Pavril Initiate Clan, who looked to be on their way to the mess hall.

They both smiled at the Younglings and nodded at their instructor, Master Tien, waiting until they were at some distance to pick their conversation back up of silent, common agreement. There was no one as good as Younglings at accidentally eavesdrop on a conversation between Knights and turn it into Temple gossip that would end up completely distorted before dinner time.

"I wish I hadn't been." Kail sighed, once they were sure that the kids were well out of earshot.

He had recognized the markings on the clothes one of the victims had kept in the closet. Lan Amella's white symbols were easy to recognize to a trained eye and had caught his attention immediately, especially when embroidered on dark blue cloth. He had pointed them out to Han, who hadn't been as up to date on bounty hunter identification marks from the Mid Rim as Kail, who had spent his second-to-last mission in the area.

The vic's profession of choice would have been problem on it's own, as bounty hunters tended to end up with far more enemies than friends. To whittle down the list of people who might have felt like they owed Ord Railak and his partner a reckoning to a line-up of suspects would have been hard enough to begin with. That he had been one of the White Crops just made it all the worse.

Lan Amella ran a tight ship. He was known for taking care of his people and of their families if anything were to happen to one of his bounty hunters. He fidelized the sentients who worked for him by guaranteeing the kind of treatment most bounty hunters wouldn't dream to get. One of the perks he was rumored to offer was that, unless you died on a job, in which case a price was immediately paid for daring as much, Lan Amella himself would personally track down whoever did the deed and take care of them. On top of that, it was known that, unless one had turned traitor and they were all implicated in the betrayal as well, he would see to it that any relative or loved one would be set up with a business of their own, to keep them afloat.

Han and the police had had a very narrow window of time to work with, narrower because they hadn't known to keep the murder under wraps while they tried to reconstruct what had happened. It wasn't hard to imagine what had happened, if only because Kail had had it happen to a couple of his own cases.

"I suppose Amella involved himself, then." He grimaced in sympathy at Han's nod, reaching out and squeezing the other man's shoulder. He didn't linger, withdrawing his hand and smiling when saw Han relax slightly, exhaling in resigned exasperation.

"The trail froze, it went cold so fast, and some of the evidence up and disappeared from lock-up, including the embroidered clothes you identified." He recounted, disapproval tinging his voice at the blatant show of corruption. "I think Amella was here but we never saw him and I was unable to track him through the Force."

Kail nodded as they exited the Temple, heading down the steps on the left, towards the near cab stop. Han had never met Lan Amella face to face. That had prevented him from acquiring a feeling for the other male's presence in the Force, one that might have otherwise allowed him to recognize the bounty hunter.

"That would be like him." He agreed, after a moment's deliberation, leaving Han free to unburden without actually contributing anything of his own.

There was no need to say out loud that Lan liked to deal with business personally, because they both already knew it and that would make it beside the point, and, besides that, Kail actually happened to like Lan, as long as Lan wasn't interfering in one of Kail's investigations. They shared a soft spot for families of choice and a fierce protectiveness of those they considered their own.

That line of conversation, Lan to bounty hunters to the need to keep up with identifying marks from all of the Rims to the lack of a single unified database and what might be done about it, kept them busy until the cab arrived and then for the cab ride too. It only came to a natural end when they reached the foyer of Issheth's Amber Pavillion and the Maitre D bowed low enough to broadcast that he was identifying them as Guests of Honor, as soon as she saw their clothes and lightsabers.

From Han's swiftly hidden look of relief, the other man hadn't been sure they would rate that kind of treatment, which meant that whoever he had gotten the free meal out of hadn't been able to guarantee more than a normal client rate kind of meal. Something else had to be going on, something that would tip the balance in two Jedi's favour. Very heavily too, considering that they were ushered aside ahead of four waiting Senators with their entourages and escorts.

Both Kail and his former student took the time to respectfully nod and offer greetings to the Senators (Aranth of Bailka, a chair in the Senate Committee on New World Discovery and Exploration and a perpetual thorn in the Exploration Corps' side, Sealanth of Nabera, who was part of Senate Ethics Committee and one of the most corrupt members of it, Amaleth of Limaran and Yoranth of Yoranth, who were both part of the Senate Internal Activities Committee and nodded back to him as they had worked together before, when he had still been stationed on Coruscant), before they headed inside. He had the impression that Senator Aranth hadn't been happy at all with their presence, but the others had seemed to be more than agreeable to be kept in line while Jedi's were swept ahead. Whatever had happened, it had to have had significant impact.

He doubted it was good news from Syresh, considering the last news that had come through in the morning, before Kail was called on by Mace Windu's Administrative Attendant Corps Jedi and kept busy by the extensive briefing they had believed he needed to receive, before he could be admitted in front of the High Council.

Off the top of his head, among events that could have give sway to the Order's standing, there were also the diplomatic missions on Helvac and Carolla, whose results were important enough to the Senate to tip their opinion so heavily. Maybe the Exploration Corps had found something in the Outer Rim or there had been some advance in the lifespan-related researches the Healing Corps were doing. Both of them had some very interesting and useful missions they were working on. The AgriCorps mission on Kyetair might have finally finished beating down the plague that was ailing their crops or, even, managed to restore enough of them to health to predict a successfull harvest the coming year. Potentially, the Agricorps missions on Xheratan and Zekurant could have yielded this kind of result, and subsequent treatment, too, depending on their level of success. It was hard to guess which one it was, without more solid information.

Regardless, the inside of the Pavillion was truly as beautiful as Kail had heard it described.

It consisted of a single room, lit from somewhere within the walls by a warm kind of light, that had been created out of a single, enormous block of amber. One that hadn't been sentiently-shaped. Like the Obsidian Pavillion, that Kail had visited as a guest of Representative Halan of the Weaver Guild of Takera, and the Alabaster Pavillion, which he'd seen only in the holo advertising for it, it had been expertly created through the use of currents of water that had been made to circle in the room in pre-determined patterns, creating paths and turns that left a central floor and various upper level spots.

The tables were made in the same fashion but out of slabs of fossilized wood, warped in different sizes to seat parties that ranged from a single person to ten at the same time. They were disposed in three circles on the main floor and scattered along the balconies on the upper ones, and hovered gently in the air, with delicately embroidered hover-cushions ready to rise once the clients where comfortably seated.

They were lead not to one of the raised spots, more private and quiet but also reserved to the lesser important guests unless specifically asked for, but to the main floor past the so-called Outer and Mid Circles, to be seated at one of the Core Circle tables, where such personalities as the Trade Federation leader and the Senators from Corellia, Alderaan, Ryloth and Rodia were seated.

 _We are being set up to be the main attraction._ He noted, to Han, giving away none of his surprise and razor sharp focus to the onlookers. He projected a deliberate look of serene Jedi gravitas, instead, dipping his head in aknowledgement of Orn Free Taa's smile and of the light nod Viceroy Organa offered them, both of whom he'd never seen this up close before in his life. _I had been told that the Jedi are in the Senate's relative good graces at the moment, but I hadn't been apprised that we had climbed so high in their estimate as to be their current darlings._

Han smiled, his expression humble and his eyes soft as they took their seats on the cushions at their table, both of them crossing their legs in the basic meditation stance to avoid the indignity of having them dangle from their seats.

 _The news came in while you were with the Council, Master. It appears that, despite everything that went wrong on their mission, the Syresh Jedi Delegation did actually come through._ He revealed, his mental voice sounding smug with satisfaction at the astonishment Kail sent to him through their friendship bond, even as he solemnly gave a little nod to the sour-faced representatives of the Trade Federation who were scowling at them. _All parties have signed the final form of the agreements. They will be ratified by the Senate two weeks from now, after all parties will be in Coruscant._

 _That would indeed do the trick_. Kail agreed, deeply impressed with the success of his fellow Jedi. He made a note to himself to send his congratulations to the Delegation as a whole and then more private messages to Peacekeeper Arn, who had definitely earned himself a long night out, fellow Investigator Sartacc, whom Kail had plans to treat to Alderaanian dinner and the truly spectacular back massage he still owed him, Diplomat Jor Kiett and Resercher Auber, as well as to Auber's padawan Myre. It was truly an impossible mission that they had accomplished.

The Syresh Talks had dominated the Senate's agenda and attention for the last ten months.

Held on the planet of the same name, they were supposed to lead to the opening of a new commercial route between Coruscant and the Outer Rim, where the bountiful planet, a recent enough find of the Jedi Exploration Corps rich in resources as well as culture and production of goods, was located.

The idea had been around for years but countless obstacles had to be cleared before the Talks even took place. Just to name a few, experts that all parties agreed on had to trace the route so at to not intersect with other existing commercial routes too much, the planets along it's course had to agree with opening themselves to the traffic and then prove themselves capable of handling the influx of travelers and goods, the Trade Federation and the Outer Rim nomadic merchant clans had to come together and clear mutual cooperation and then discuss conditions for it's use with the Syresh government.

The Talks had been the culmination of all the efforts that had been put in the creation of the new route.

They were meant to revolve around discussions that saw the expectations, cultural values and traditions of the Arawak and Herakim, the two main populations of Syresh, pitted against arguments such as 'what goods fall in the already established custom listings', 'which ones need what kind of warning labels and how those labels have to be worded', 'how the added distance Syresh has on most other planets with trade routes to the Inner Rim might influence custom taxes and in which direction', 'import and export prices', 'custom practices' and the like.

They had involved various economical committees, the Banking Clan, all previously interested parties who had cooperated to get to that point and had been held under the auspices of the Jedi Order, under request from the Republic's Supreme Chancellor Kalpana. What that meant was that if the Talks went well everyone would be happy, and the Jedi considered good little servants of the Republic, and if they went badly the Order would catch the bad rap for failing to corrall the bag of crazy that such a group represented, bad Jedi.

The Syresh Team, as they had originally been called, had started off with two Diplomats, Kail's Master's friend Jor Kiett being one of them, the Ambassador who had already been helping the Arawak and Herakim governments to interface and deal with the Senate, one Investigator sent to keep an eye on the legality of the proceedings, Kail's old crechemate Sartacc, and the padawans assigned to the Ambassador and to the other Diplomat.

Before they even entered month three, four Jedi Advisors had joined the group, brought along by the Senators they were assigned to.

By the time they were midway through the fourth month, five more Diplomats had been sent by the Council to help wrangle the various ego and personalities along with two Peacekeepers, for security reasons, and one of their few Exotic Weapon Masters, sent half for the same reason as the Peacekeepers and half to study local fighting practices. Then two Healers had to be sent to help the Herakim with a case of contagion from a virus that only the Herakim were weak against, one that had been inadvertently brought by an aid suffering from a particularly virulent strain of cold that wasn't supposed to affect anyone outside of his species.

After them four Researchers had joined the already high number of Jedi planet-side, per request of the Senate, to study some expressions of the local culture that hadn't come to the light before and certify that they didn't go against any of the Senate's guidelines for the inclusion of new planets as members. Auber had actually sounded excited about that. Also included in their fold were six more padawans, of various ages, attached to their respective Masters, including Myre.

Month five of the talks had began with four more Diplomats being added to the detail, all of them with specific instructions to dedicate themselves to smooth out the high spirits of the Trade Federation and the clashes they were having on the side with the various Outer and Mid Rim's nomadic merchant clans that had signed up on this venture. A Recruiter had been added to the number of Jedi already on the ground, as there had also been more than five recorded instances of Force-sensitive Arawak children and with him three Peacekeepers, still ostensibly for security reasons, had been sent along, which was how Arn had gotten involved in the clusterfuck that Syresh had become.

Arn was also how Kail had finally gotten the skinny on what was going on from someone who was both willing to dish, unlike Master Jor Kiett, and wasn't too busy to talk, like Sartacc and Auber. Myre was also willing to dish, but she didn't have the clearance to know as many important details as Arn and, besides, she was as bad as her Master when it came to getting lost in studying local cultures, so transmissions from his friend's padawan were rare and with long pauses in between messages. Arn at least called regularly, if only to bitch and get his frustration out.

Last Kail had heard from Arn, which was about four days back, the Council had finally given in and started to call the Syresh Team a Jedi Delegation, which was about time, considering that a grand total of thirty-eight Jedi had become embroiled in the whole mess and were working in concert to try and pull the Agreements through, something that had looked like a steadily less and less realistic outcome. It had been common opinion within the lower tiers of the Order that if the mission didn't crash and burn, it was going to be, at best, only partially successfull, leading to the opening of trade affairs but not actually to the creation of a whole route. Too many conflicting interests, too many Senators on site, too many Senate back-dealings at play, too much insistence on the Arawak and Herakim's side not to join with the Trade Federation but to rely more on the independent merchant clans.

Like many of the Jedi he knew, Kail had long since quietly started preparing himself for another period of Senate malcontent towards the Order. It was, after all, on them and on their missions that the Senate's wrath fell, principally.

There was nothing to worry about for the more well-placed Jedi, the ones holding positions in one of the Order's various Councils, as they were considered too potentially influential to chance making enemies out of them, as far as the politicians were concerned. Jedi of known repute were also generally considered as not worthy of the potential hassle that could come if they were fucked with. No one would have dared play tricks on Mace Windu or make Yoda feel unwelcome or harass their former padawans, made untouchable both by deed and association. It was the rest of the field-active Jedi, though the Jedi Corps objectively had it worse than any Knight, who got the end of the stick that came with the disappointment of the Senate or the disgruntlement of choice members of the august body. There was nothing as effective as a pissy aide or an incensed representative bent on extracting their pound of flesh, to come up with petty ways to trip the Jedi.

The Syresh Jedi Delegation's succession meant, between many others, that extra funds would be donated to the Order by Senators pleased to have gotten their way, and thus in a generous mood, or by those who only ever cared for the Order when it was on the rise in the general opinion of the Senate as a whole. Transports would be on time, instead of delayed because of strange mechanical issues. The Senate's channel would not be suddenly clogged and the paperwork requested to push matters through would be the usual load and not instead peppered with the need for new and intricate forms that were both hard to track and had to be presented in perfect-copy quintuplicate. Jedi-specific supplies, meant for the Corps, wouldn't suffer inexplicable delays. The Senate Committee on New World Discovery and Exploration would ease up on the Exploration Corps.

Jedi were going to be welcome in places like Issheth's Pavillions, who were decidedly not above finding perfectly good reasons to turn them out when the Order was on the outs with the Senate, and afforded treatment well above what they might have otherwise been given, to show off that the 'right kind' of beings, the ones the Senators liked to surround themselves with, were patrons of their establishment, thus increasing their own Standing in the pecking order of popularity. It also afforded Kail and Han the chance to be in a prime spot to be noticed and even, potentially, approached by Senators who either were on good terms with the Order already or wanted to be but hadn't yet had the chance to meet and befriend a Jedi.

 _You knew and you brought us here._ Kail sent to Han, on the heels of his previous words, pride and the intention of compliment the other man lacing his words through the bond. _Well played._

 _You taught me well, Master._ Han demurred, truly humble. _Without you picking up from where Master Wren's death had left me, I would have almost certainly dedicated myself exclusively to the path of the Peacekeeper._

 _The Master is only ever as effective as the Padawan is willing to learn and become._ He reminded Han fondly, not wanting his the man to discount himself and his own worth in his desire to honor his second master.

Master Wren Tai'As, Han's original master, had been a former crechemate of Kail, a Jedi Guardian on the Peacekeeper Path and a very good friend, one that he still found himself missing deeply. Kail had stepped up to finish Han's training, both because he liked the boy and because he had already met him on a few occasions and established a sense of trust and friendliness between them. It had been that previous acquaintance, along with Kail's record and his spotless reputation, that had helped sway the Council of Reassignement towards his candidacy for the role. Much to Kail's relief, as he was well aware that some of Wren's morals and ideals were less than aligned with the main philosophical currents of the Order. Any duty- bound, Code-preaching Master, and they abounded, would have found them either silly nonsense or dangerous radical thoughts if they came to the fore, depending on the sentient.

Kail, as one of Wren's fellow thinkers, knew himself to be a far more appropriate and, most importantly, safe choice for his friend's orphaned padawan. While Kail would have put himself forward either way, to honor his friend's memory and keep his teachings alive, it had also been preferrable for a member of his and Wren's circle to end up as Han's Master. It had been impossible to foresee what the boy might unwittingly or unwillingly end up revealing to a more Code-bound Master and no one in their group had fancied being brought in front of the Council of First Knowledge by the Shadows to explain their less-than-strictly Code-abiding philosophies.

He had been prepared to petition the High Council for Peacekeeper missions, as that was the path Wren had set his padawan on and Kail had originally wanted to honor his friend's wishes and decisions in the education of Wren's pupil. That resolution had crumbled within hours of taking the boy as his Padawan, during their first shared meditation, to be precise.

As they came to truly know each other in the Force, Kail had found that for all the Peacekeeper material the boy was made of, and there was more than enough of it to justify Wren's decision, Han's mind was, in subtler ways, far more similar to Kail's than it had been to Wren's. The padawan had had untapped talents that lent themselves to the kind of skills that an Investigator's path required, as well a doubts to his own suitability for the Peacekeeper Path, though they were mostly smothered under a sense of duty towards his former Master and a sense of shame that was borne of having had said doubts for a while, which led to Han blaming himself for having been less than completely trusting of said Master before the other being's death.

It had taken time and patience, and presenting the boy with tests and learning materials from Kail's own learning years time and time again, but in the end Kail had managed to explain to Han both that changing his path wouldn't have been disrespectful to his Master and that Han actually had what was needed to follow an Investigator's path. In fact, and Kail well knew that Wren would have said so himself, what was important wasn't that Han retraced his own Master's footsteps but that he left his own for others to be inspired by.

Now, five years after becoming Master and Padawan and a year and a month since he had cut Han's padawan braid, here they were, seating in the Core Circle of Issheth's Amber Pavillions, with Han's cheek flushed with embarassment and shy pleasure at being complimented by his Master and Kail feeling like he might burst with pride in his former apprentice, the up and coming Jedi Investigator.

Kail was sure, from the depth of his being, that Wren would have smiled in pleasure at the sight. His friend had only ever wanted those he held dear to be as happy and accomplished as they could possibly be.

Before Han could come up with a proper answer to Kail's compliment, or with a new subject for them to discuss, two waiters approached their table.

They were both Zeltron, tastefully dressed in form-fitting, beautifully embroidered clothes. Artfully applied make-up highlighted what Kail knew most humanoid races considered as their 'exotic' features. The one who first reached the table was carrying a tray on with one of the finest porcelain tea services Kail had ever seen. He suspected, given the thinness of the porcelain and the beautiful swirls of delicate colors that had been lacquered on it to form an abstract image of currents in movement, that it was a Riimani tea set, breathtakingly beautiful and breathtakingly expensive.

 _Oh Force._ Han whispered, his native Corellian accent now strong in his mental voice, as the waiter proceeded to set the service on the table, gentle curls of steam lifting from the beak of the teapot and filling the air between them with the unmistakable scent of spicy Kovarkian blue tea. Han's eyes, however, were not on the tea service, but on the second waiter, who waited for his colleague to be done and heading off to step forward and present them with an amber pillow, with white and gold embroidery, on which rested two scroll-like menus, hand-written and hand-painted in the fashion of the Naigiri monks, with vivid curls framing the beautifully penned list of food. They were impressive.

Not as impressive, though, as the fact that Madam Issheth, as the only one with the authority to gift those menus, had decided that the two of them, unknown members of the Order though they were, deserved to receive the same treatement that only the most notable Senators were afforded. It was a sign of wealth and popularity, to be recognized with the gift of one of those scrolls, and while their importance would only last as far as the Senate's fad did, in this moment Madam Issheth was pointing out Kail and Han as belonging to the highest tier of guests. Combined with the position of their table and the fact that they had just been served what was currently the most prized tea on the market, in a priceless almost see-through porcelain set, it showed them as not only worthy of note but important to keep an eye on.

It was too much, for this to actually be about Kail and Han.

 _News spread fast_. He sent, through the bond, and pushed along peace and serenity, to help Han calm down and re-center himself.

He waited to see what the waiter would say, as such gifts never arrived without a message attached, and while he waited he smiled at the young man, serene and at perfect peace within the Force as he let all the attention now pointed at their table wash over him without offering it any hold to grasp on, giving the onlookers the exact image of himself that he wanted them to have. He was a Jedi, was what he was showing them, and this did not surprise him, to the point where he accepted it with the grace and poise of a seasoned Master, despite being only in his mid-to-late thirties.

It had taken him years of hard work to master the composure and bearing of a proper Jedi.

His Master, a former Diplomat turned Investigator, had drilled the importance of appearances, and giving the right impression for the current moment, into him ever since he had first been apprenticed. It had been one of the requisite his Master had expected him to fulfill before he could be considered ready for his Trials, for Kail to be able to keep himself properly composed no matter the situation or the pressure he was under.

It had been one he had passed on to Han as well, though his padawan had found more difficulty than him in mastering it. To Kail, it had been an invaluable tool in what had felt like a thousand and some occasions since his own knighting, one that had slowly become less of a skill and more of a way of life, and it was as useful now as it had been in all the years since his braid had been cut.

"I present you with your very own scrolls, with the compliments of Madam Issheth to the Jedi, whose Order has performed a great service to the Galaxy as a whole, today." The waiter said, his Coruscanti accent as fluid as water and made charming by the depth and softness of his voice. He had pitched it just loud enough to be overheard by the rest of the Core Circle, while also avoiding the pitfall of pitching it to carry, which would have made what was being done too obvious and ham-fisted for the taste of most Senators.

 _A situation-related gift, without any promise of a repeat, and not connected to us specifically, thus avoiding giving us specifically any true importance but reducing us as the lucky two unnamed representatives who ended up being the first to give her this chance, as we aren't well-known enough, both in general and to her, to merit personal distinction._ Han immediately chimed in, still not fully grown out of the habit to present Kail with his analysis of the situation. They were working on it, but after four years of doing it constantly it was a hard habit to shake, Kail knew.

It had been for him too, in the first couple of years after his knighting, especially in high pressure situations where his Master was present too. He avoided rebuking the man for it, as it was nothing to be ashamed of, and instead opted for sending more reassurance and stable calm along their bond.

 _Also letting her more important clients that the Jedi are on the upswing for something that happened today, without being so indescreet as to say what, just in case they didn't hear the news yet._ He added instead, throwing his two credits on the matter in. He never took his eyes off the waiter and his smile and expression never wavered as he dipped his head, in the perfect Jedi-Master-Nod that had, back in the day, taken him a whole week to perform at his Master's satisfaction.

"Madam Issheth is a truly generous host, one that lives up to the reputation she has built for herself." He replied, his smile turning a bit warmer, his voice pitched to be as soft as silk but letting just a hint of low roughness bleed into it, making it slide in an appealing lower regime, his own Coruscanti accent wrapping around the words like a soft caress. He chose to use the same volume the waiter had, to let the Senators hear him without being obvious about it either.

"The Syresh Jedi Delegation simply performed the task the Senate expected them to carry off." He smiled, sure as only a Jedi powerful in the Force could be, and watched the waiter's pupil dilate in response to the wealth of certainty and power that his smile carried. He didn't feel sorry for him, as he was certain that the young man used the same skills over and over again, whenever it suited him, and he would have tried to appeal to both Kail and Han's own sexual drives, if only he'd thought about it first. Zeltron's often did.

"We only accept the regard she shows us as it is meant to honor the whole of our Order and not us, mere Knights uninvoled with the Syresh matter." He almost purred, keeping his eyes in the boy's own as the scrolls rose from the cushion and elegantly floated to him and Han respectively, settling down in front of them and unrolling themselves. It was a show not of his power but of his skill for finess, as he had refrained from moving or using his hands to direct the scrolls, making it look almost as if they had come to them of their own accord. It was a cheap trick, all told, but cheap tricks often had the most impact on the uninitiated to the secrets of the Force and he definitely wasn't above employing some.

"Thank you, for being so kind as to relate the message." He added, dipping his head a third time, in an acknowledgement that was also dismissal, and then turned back to Han, his smile dimming to something more appropriate to the man he was facing now and the friendly, non-sexual relationship they shared.

He didn't think he could ever be able to look at Han and see him in a sexual way, not after seen him grow from boy into young man into man, and certainly not after witnessing him whine like a baby and burrow under his blankets begging for cuddling whenever a cold or a flu made him miserable, among other behaviors that had forever marked the other male as both too young and unsuitable for Kail. He was also aware that Han had come to view him in a light that would have made any sexual interest disgusting to the other male himself.

It was for the best, on both sides.

Not only it would have been disgusting to Kail to take such an advantage of the power dynamics between them, but, under more spassionately practical concerns, it would have been highly inappropriate for him to approach his padawan so soon after the dissolving of their Master / Padawan bond. More than that, Han was also a deeply romantic person, who couldn't approach sex comfortably without serious feelings being involved. Kail was fully aromantic, uninterested in the kind of closeness that Han looked for in potential partners.

 _Nicely played, Master._ Han chuckled, as murmurs spread through the entourages of Orn Free Taa and Viceroy Organa, who shared the table nearest to theirs. The Trade Federation representatives scowls had lessened too, as the members of their table exchanged surprised looks and not-so-quietly voiced surprise that the matter had been resolved already. It wasn't a surprise to see Arn's convinction that the Trade Federation had been dragging their feet to gain time to convince Syresh to join them confirmed, but it was nice nonetheless.

He sent the mental equivalent of the feeling of a smile to Han as he lowered his eyes to look at the menu. _I want the High Council to be given the best possible impression of me, when this gets back to them._  He explained, a bit unnecessarily to be honest, as they were both aware that Viceroy Organa was on good enough terms with certain members of the High Council that he would probably share this tidbit of news, if it didn't worm it's way to Grand Master Yoda before that. It was, however, a good hook to the news he wanted to share with the other man.

 _I want them to see confirmed that they made a good choice, when they selected me to be paired up with Master Qui-Gon Jinn as the Investigator to his Diplomat_. He explained, feeling almost wickedly amused by the shock that resonated between them when his words registered. Han's head didn't snap up, but it was a close thing. His former padawan kept his eyes on the menu and his face relaxed, but unrestrained joy danced through their bond.

 _That is wonderful news Master!_ Han crowed, beaming at him through the Force and making the air sing with proud happiness. _This is the kind of assignement that will finally give you a chance to place in the upper tiers of the Order!_

"You were right, Knight Tehwl." Kail said, his voice pitched low enough not to be easily overheard, as he tenderly picked up his cup of tea, setting his menu aside and casting a look around, taking everyone in and stopping on no one in particular. "It truly is a beautiful Pavillion. I can see why it's considered the crown jewel of Madam Issheth's establishments."

 _It might just be._ He sent back to the other man, as he brought the cup closer and breathed in discreetly, savoring the piquancy of the tea's aroma and letting the warmth of it leech through the cup down his fingers and into his body. _That is, if I can manage to corrall Master Jinn and keep him from letting his grief over what happened to his padawan do him in._

"I remember your breathtaking description of the Obsidian Pavillion, Master Kail." Han asked, the volume of his voice matching Kail's, as he picked up his own cup. "It was a few months ago if I'm not wrong."

 _I heard about it. Xanatos of Telos IV, wasn't it?_ Han waited for a sense of confirmation from him to continue. _There was much talk about it at the temple, since he was believed to be one of the up and coming padawans, strong in the Force, gifted with the saber, with brains as well as brawn. The idea that even one such as him could Fell shook many._  A sigh followed his words, tinged with honest regret and sadness at the loss of such a notable member of their Order. _He died, after failing his trials didn't he? Master Jinn reported him dead, at least as far as I heard._

"You have good memory. I was there three months ago, as a guest of Representative Halan of the Weaver Guild of Takera, in the wake of the investigation on the assassination attempt that had been aimed at his family." Kail confirmed for the members of their audience that had been tasked to eavesdrop, while their tables went back to their meals. "I thought it one of the most remarkable establishment I'd ever been in, but the Amber Pavillion will shine in my memories from this day on."

 _Master Jinn did and, according to the Council, he even believed it to an extent._  Kail raised his cup and sipped from it, he and Han moving in perfect unison, their elegant movements a perfect mirror to each other. _However, a body was never recovered and Master Jinn's report was all that the Council had to go on, regarding the man's fate_. The tea had a rich, layered flavour, the spiciness underlining the blooming taste of the flowers and herbs it was made of on Kail's tongue, without being overpowering. It was a master blend and if he'd been a tea man, he might have actually enjoyed it enough to feel bliss. As things stood, he was deeply impressed with the talent of whoever had blended it.

"In this moment, I doubt I could ever find an equal to it." Han agreed, fully honest and without committing to an actual compliment. Knowing the other male as he did, Kail figured it was all too golden-orange-y for his tastes. Han had always preferred muted earth tones, shades of blue if a stronger color was desired.

 _I would ask about the investigation that followed or maybe wonder about why Master Jinn went back into the field almost immediately, and why he is supposed to witness an as-of-yesterday unscheduled duel between padawans today, when it's clearly been too soon for him to cleared by the mind healers, but this being Master Jinn, Grand Master's Yoda grand-padawan and Master Windu's good friend, I'll just assume it was all let go and that he was just allowed to head back in action._ Han sighed heavily.

It saddened Kail, to see his former padawan's wariness, but it was a wariness that he knew had good reason to exist. It was a wariness he had seen mature as Han became older and had, in part, helped settle in, by refusing to paint a prettier picture of the Order than a truthful one. It was a wariness that Kail himself sometimes felt, especially when confronted with the shortcomings of the Order and even more so because so often they were the result of ingrained behaviour, inherited subconscious sense of entitlement and carelessness and not true malicious intent. At least the latter would have been easier to fight against.

He set down his cup noiselessly and smiled at the waiter, who had noticed them drinking and started to make their way over to them. "We are ready to order." He greeted the young man, turning to Han to let him order first.

 _That would be a fair assumption to make, about everything, aside from the investigation. They actually did have one and it was found out that while Xanatos of Telos IV had for a brief time been declared dead, he had also resurfaced a few weeks later, in one of the local hospitals. He has since produced evidence to clear his father's name that is so contrasting to all previous accusation and proof to be almost fanciful and unbelievable to anyone with a lick of sense. Naturally, the inhabitants of Telos IV believed him fully and have since made him first citizen. He is supposedly a philantropist with close ties to the Offworld Mining Corporation._ He explained, listing his own choices as soon as Han was done.

 _He is a Fallen Jedi. His kind never turns a new leaf, especially not before they have gone on a spree or two or a whole campaign of them. He should have been killed as soon as it was possible, well before he could rise to power._ Han pointed out, tone clipped as he let the words out, a very nice contrast to his nonplussed expression as the waiter headed off.

"Refill?" He asked, out loud, waiting for Kail's agreeable "Please, yes." to pick up the teapot and fill their cups again, his movement as fluid as water.

 _I do not presume to know why he wasn't, but I have been assured that the situation is being 'handled' and that it is not to be of my concern unless Master Jinn becomes somehow involved in the proceedings._ He added, with a rueful twist to his words that he was fully aware of.

 _Jedi Shadow?_ Han wondered.

 _Your guess is as good as mine_. Kail mentally shrugged, which was their shorthand for 'I am pretty sure it is so, yes, but I'm not going to committ to that opinion yet', and picked up his cup, enjoying the warmth cupped in his hand.

His back straightened, minutely enough to go unnoticed to outside eyes, as he saw one of Orn Free Taa aides took advantage of the, relatively noisy, leaving of the Trade Federation diplomats to slip away from Orn Free Taa's table and quietly make her way towards the freshers. There were a couple of paths she could have taken that would have lead her there both faster and more discreetly than the one she had undertaken, but she had instead chosen to walk one that would led her to coast by their table on her way over.

 _Incoming political aide. Prepare for a potential drop._ He instructed Han, taking a slow sip of his cup and stretching out his metaphorical muscles in the Force.

"So, would you like to enlighten me as to your plans for the rest of the day?" Han asked casually, leaning slightly back in his chair, a friendly smile gracing his features, and his own senses spreading further out, his eyes remaining firmly on Kail.

 _Ready and waiting._ He sent back, without missing a beat.

"Knight Yimirri Sethek is back on Coruscant and I have committed to join her for a demonstration of the Art of Movement course for Clan Katarn." He replied, lips quirking upward as he looked back at Han, making sure that the twilek aide remained in his field of vision. She was holding a piece of filmplast in her hand and, when the Neimodians came by her, she moved to the side, leaving them space and bringing her so close to their table that she almost brushed against it.

Very well timed, he would have given it an eight out of ten, two points knocked off for the nervousness showing in her expression. "They were hoping to get her and Knight Sao Kun, but his return has been delayed, and thus I was asked to step in."

"You should have said so sooner, Master." Han scolded, just as one of the aides to the Viceroy of the Trade Federation surrepitiously made a misstep, almost stumbling but also catching himself in time, embarassed by the attention his almost fall had attracted on him and his group. They turned to watch too, pausing in their conversation, with twin expressions of politely concealed but still visible amusement.

Kail's telekinesis took hold of the filmplast the twilek aide had let fall just before it could clatter to the floor. He reeled it in, willing it to travel as close to the amber flooring as possible and then up once it reached the shadow of the table, until it reached the height his cushion was floating at and traveled along the inside of his leg, until it came to slip inside his belt.

"With the regards of the Senator, Knight Kail." The aide murmured, her voice covered by the sound of the not-so-quiet scolding the Viceroy was given his own aide. He didn't aknowledge the words or her, letting her move on.

"And why should I have done such a thing, my former padawan?" He asked, instead, curling his lips up in plain amusement at the plainly faked irritation that Han was now directing at him. _Drop achieved, thank you for your assist. Someone must have checked the roster of the Temple and seen my new assignement, if Senator Orn Free Taa feels like making contact, however quietly, with one such as me_. He mused. _I wouldn't think that Madam Issheth's opinion is enough to move him on it's own. Not him._

"Because if you had I would have asked one of my friends to save me a seat in the auditorium." Han pointed out, with a sigh, that was more for show than anything. "By the time we'll get back, there will barely be enough time to get to the course, much less find a good spot up on high." He shook his head and then leaned away from the table when the waiter came back with their appetizers. _Already rising in the estimate of the Senate._ Han added, half-mocking and half-pleased. _The miracles of being half of a Knight partnership with someone from a Councilor's line of padawans._

"I fear, my former padawan, that you will have to put your jumping skills to good use and make your way to the ceiling beams, if you want an above view." He replied, jokingly, as the young man divided the plates between them, announcing the names of the plates in a quiet, almost pornographic voice and glancing at Kail far more than what was actually needed.

Kail happily played dumb and ignored the blatant opening the waiter was giving him. He wasn't into people that were half his age, to be generous, and even if he had been, he certainly wasn't the kind of being that slept with anything young and charming that crossed his path. Still, there was no reason to be rude or dismiss the boy in a hurtful way, so pretending not to catch the hint was the game.

 _Why would Master Jinn's former padawan come up in the discussion of your assignement anyway?_  Han asked, when he was done quietly chuckling in their minds at his former Master's predicament and making Kail want to roll his eyes at him. _Is there a possibility you and Master Jinn might cross his path?_

 _We are being sent on Bandomeer, because the prime minister personally requested Master Jinn's presence to mediate their mining disputes. From Supreme Chancellor Kalpana._ Kail explained, dryly, as a group of Rodians was admitted to the Core Circle and sat at one of the big tables. _That is, despite the fact that Master Jinn has had no previous acquaintance, in any form or circumstance that the Council is aware of, with said prime minister. Would you like to take a guess as to which mining company is a major player in the crisis on Bandomeer right now?_

 _I see why the Council might want a calmer head around._  Han conceded, eyes going half lidded with pleasure at the taste of the Corellian delicacy he had ordered. Kail couldn't blame him for his reaction, especially not after biting in the delicately crumbling pastry shell that had hid the filling of his own appetizer.

His choice had been a Nebulan black cake with a heart of Amerillian berries mousse. The creamy, smooth filling melted on his tongue and made it feel covered with honeysuckle and foreign spices, leaving him with a tangy aftertaste that made him itch to bring the rest of the cake of his mouth so that he could slide his tongue inside it and lap the pastry clean.

He had ordered the same delicacy at the Obsidian Pavillion, Amerillian berries being one of his favourite rare treats, but whoever the cook had been in the other Pavillion, his skill paled against the blessed touch of whoever Madam Issheth had recruited for the Amber Pavillion. Kail couldn't remember another occasion where he had contemplated committing obscene acts upon a piece of food.

 _You look blissed._ Han laughed at him and Kail didn't find it in himself to rebuke at him for it, so he went the opposite way and cut the thinnest slice of cake he could and levitated it to Han's plate, with a challengingly raised eyebrow.

 _Do try, Corellian-food-obssessed padawan._ He half offered and half challenged, instead.

He waited for him to bit into it and then sent over a wave of smugness, when Han failed to keep himself from making the kind of lewd sound that no proper Jedi ought to make in public. He even, rather generously he thought, covered for the other male, by pushing one of the forks at Viceroy's Organa off the table at the same time as his former student made the sound, making sure it fell in the noisiest possible way.

 _Thank you, Master._ Han whispered, cheeks flushed once more and embarassment flooding their bond.

 _You are welcome._ Kail aknowledged, with an implied dip of his head in the tone, while the Representative whose fork had fallen, Lady Miala of House Antilles, waited composedly for the waiter who had hurried over to pick up the now unusable fork and provide her with an adequate substitute.

 _There is an AgriCorps mission on-going on Bandoomer, with two Master/Padawan teams on site to provide security. Master Jenda Renn informed the Council that the representative he'd seen looked very much like former padawan Xanatos of Telos IV._  He added, picking up the conversation again, to avoid getting lost in the blissful pleasure that was his cake.

It had come at no surprise to him, during his debriefing. The whole situation had been suspicious to begin with, too perfectly arranged to be anything but a set-up. One that, in true Jedi fashion, the Council had decided to let spring, though he wasn't clear on how much Master Jinn had been informed on.

 _I suspect Master Jinn has been informed of little to nothing._ He elaborated, leaning back to let the waiter come and get his empty plate.  _He wasn't in the Council Chambers when I was debriefed and I've been instructed not to go searching for him until the Council gives me the go ahead_.

 _I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't trust him to handle sensitive informations regarding his former padawan._  Han mused, while two of the Rodians bickered between each other on what to order. _Exercising caution is not unreasonable of them, especially if they didn't order him to consult with a healer to deal with the damage and consequences of losing his padawan to the Dark Side_.

 _And yet, as you pointed out earlier, he is to examine the abilities of the current Initiates and decide wether or not to pick one as his padawan_. Kail sighed, smiling at the second waiter that had come, to take Han's empty plate away. _I hope he doesn't. He hasn't, so far, and this isn't the first time that Grand Master Yoda insists on him being present when the Initiates perform._

It had been fodder for gossip and disapproval between the Masters of lower standing, Yoda's insistence that his grandpadawan take a new apprentice. It wasn't, the general opinion run, a well advised decision to force someone into taking a padawan before they were ready, as it would not only lead to potential complications down the line but it also put the mental health of the child at risk by placing hir in the position of having to either refuse a Master, unthinkable to most initiates and even more so when the Master in question was a famous one, or accept a Master that might not be properly suited to hir or even just ready to take care of hir in an appropriate fashion.

No one had dared to voice such an opinion regarding Master Jinn where it might be overheard by either his friends Masters Tahl and Micah Giett or any member of the High Council, but that was simply self-preservation at work. Where Master Jinn was allowed to talk back with little to no consequence, Masters without his standing in the eyes of the High Council, would find themselves both punished for it and potentially under scrutiny of the Council of First Knowledge if they pushed too far.

For all that the man had the official reputation of a rogue, he was actually considered pretty tame in his views by most of Kail's circle. After all, Master Jinn's main points of contention with the High Council where his tendency to impulsive actions, that was usually rewarded by outcomes positive enough to outweight his reckless streak, and his choice to follow the path of the Living Force as opposed to that of the Unifying Force. All in all, not as much of a radical as he was painted as.

He was, however, the kind of radical that the High Council seemed to subtly encourage, if not through their words than through their deeds.

Kail had seen many a Knight fall in the trap that was thinking that to act like Master Jinn equalled to rebellion within the Order without actually going as far as dissociating themselves from it, without suffering heavy drawbacks for it. It meant that they could balance wanting to speak out against what riled them up while also still preaching to the choir of the Code. It kept them in the ranks and allowed them to be different enough to express themselves while at the same time enjoying a still reasonably friendly relationship with the more traditional Jedi.

Old Guard and New.

It was, as far as Kail was concerned, half-hassed bullshit that only kept far too many members of the Order from realizing that they were doing nothing notable or, Force forbid, effective enough to enact change within the Order. Most of them didn't even think the Order had to change it's ways at all. It was maddening.

 _I don't think he will_. Han's voice slipped between his thoughts, drawing his attention back to the meal he hadn't been enjoying half as much as he had pretended to, his inflection cautios and gentle, drawing Kail's attention in an almost timid way. _According to Temple gossip, he seems to be pretty set on never taking another padawan again_.

Kail breathed out and discreetly re-centered himself, letting his irritation and anger slip away to dissipate in the Force. They would be back, sooner or later, but they were gone now and he had no interest in trying to hold on to or chase after them. They were feelings he had long since accepted as natural, even inevitable, for a man with his philosophy and beliefs. His only choice in that regard laid in wether he would step back or give in to them and, so far, he had never found reason to choose the latter.

 _That is good_. He observed simply, finally noticing the complexity of the meat he had been served, layers of different animal meats wrapped one over the other all the way from the outside golden-red crust to the core of sweet fruits and sour vegetables, definitely meant to create a contrasting flavour that was hard to define but definitely plesant. _I won't be given the final details on this assignement until he vocalizes his decision, though. I am to wait until that happens_.

 _Of course_. Han replied, the weariness coming back to lace his tone. _We always wait and serve at the whims of the High Council_.

It made Kail want to reach and grab his shoulder in solidarity, fully aware that his former padawan's bitterness came from a place of love, and, in a sense, he did, reaching out with the force to set an invisible hand on the back of Han's shoulderblade.

 _Let it go, padawan._ He suggested, gently. _So it's been for a very long time and so it will be for longer still_. It wasn't comforting and it wasn't meant to be. It was what Han had to accept as the world he lived in.

It was the truth, stark and unadorned, and it would serve better than any half truth, misdirection or attempt to soothe or comfort. He had promised, almost ten years ago now, to always tell Han the truth, especially when he might not want to hear it, and he had never turned back on his word.

Han sighed softly in the bond and then slowly started to let go of his own feelings, refocusing on his own food. _I am sorry, Master. It is frustrating, to know you and all that you bring to the Order and then see them treat you like this in favour of their pet rogue_. He admitted, sadder now than he had been weary before, offering the feeling of a rueful smile up.

"This is the best Aldeeranian stew I have ever tasted." He also praised, offering up a new thread of conversation for their listeners to enjoy. Viceroy's Organa's table was lingering over desserts, but there were more Senators coming in and being admitted to the Mid to Outer Circle and Kail could feel the attention aimed at them rise with every new arrival.

Senator Orn Free Taa's aide had finally come out of the fresher and was making her way back to her Senator's table. Given the length of time she had spent in it, and that her make-up only looked slightly retouched and not completely overhauled, Kail suspected she'd spent some time on her commlink, making inquiries that couldn't have been made in a more public setting and getting answers for the Senator.

"It does smell delicious, but I wouldn't exchange any stew for the perfection I have been served." He joked back, squeezing Han's shoulder through the Force again, offering him silent support.

 _I appreciate the regard you have for me, Padawan_. He murmured, touched by the indignation that Han felt on his behalf. _Do not let it become an excuse for what you are feeling to fester inside of you. Release the negativity and remember your earlier joy. This is a momentous occasion for me._

Han's presence in the Force brightened considerably, the happiness he had felt right after Kail's revelation coming back to the fore, brimming and enthusiastic as it washed away the darker feelings, leaving them with no hooks inside of him. _It truly is_. He agreed, far more cheerfully.

"You do not know what you are missing." Han replied, sounding very satisfied about it too, with an easy smile. "It is making me long to visit Aldeeran."

 _I am grateful to have been given this opportunity_. Kail admitted, his voice softening as he reminded Han of why he had reason to be. _For all of my reserves about Master Jinn and the way the High Council had handled the man's situation, I truly am honored that out of all of the thousand Jedi at their disposal, they have decided that I am the right being for this assignement. It means that they have taken notice of me and decided that the skills and abilities I have so far demonstrated, along with my mission sheet, are comparable and compatible to those of Master Jinn. They have given me a great compliment and a great responsability._

"Aldeeran is not in need of the kind of help the Jedi bring, sadly for you, but if you wish I can introduce you to Knight Koan. She is a formidable cook, specialized in Aldeeran delicacies, and always looking for new people to feed." Kail offered, sparing a fond thought for the Aldeeranian Temple Guard.

 _You are right Master_. Han agreed, his tone gentle and admiring. _You are still showing me new lights in which to look at things. I believe you will continue to do so for a long time_. For a moment, silence hung between them, and then Han forged ahead, changing the subject completely. _Isn't Master Jenda Renn the one to whom Nabara is apprenticed now?_  He wondered, his curiosity snuggling down comfortably in their bond.

"I have heard of her and of her mighty cooking skills. I will be in your debt if you do." Han readily agreed, his smile widening in surprised pleasure.

 _He is indeed. They are one of the Master/Padawan teams on the ground on Bandomeer._ The thought of having Nabara around for this first mission with Master Jinn was a heartening one. Even the simple knowledge of being on the same planet as hir was a mood booster shot.

"No debts between us." Kail disagreed, his voice even but in a firm enough way to discourage his former padawan to pursue a protest or that line of thinking at all. His smile, despite the tone, showed the fondness he had for his former padawan and his sense of honor and debts. It was a thing he had always shared with and appreciated in Han.

Behind the other man, Orn Free Taa's aide's lekku were twitching and the Senator's own lekku were twitching right back, as she reported back to him. Unlike Nabara, Kail had never been able to wrap his mind around lekku language. He had tried, hard too, but between the way the complexities of the movements just seemed to evade him and his lack of proper appendages to feel his way around it to figure it out, he had failed to. Sometimes, like now, he regretted his inability to do as much.

He would have liked to have that edge over the Senator of Ryloth.

 _I haven't talked to hir in almost nine months. How is ze doing?_  Han asked, with honest curiosity. After the initial shock of their first meeting, Han had taken to Nabara like a Mon Calamari to water. They had gotten along greatly, Kail's padawan's presence acting as a boon to his friend. Theirs was a friendship that had been forged during Master Sia Nilla's last months, one that had only became stronger in the wake of Nabara's first master's death.

There was also some pretty clear chagrin, in his former's padawan voice, at the admission of how long it had been since the two of them had been in contact. Not that it was one that might have taken Kail by surprise. Both Nabara and Han were terrible correspondants to have.

Han tended to get absorbed in his work and postpone answering messages, sometimes until he forgot he had messages to respond to at all. On the other hand, Nabara's understanding of how humans and humanoids perceived the passage of time was purely theoretical and even that much understanding often slipped from hir mind.

It did not surprise Kail at all, that they hadn't heard from each other for such a long period of time. Though Nabara would consider it a really short interval, he was sure.

 _How are the Rodians doing and who is trying to drill a hole in my head with their eyes?_ He asked, conversationally, because the squabbling from the Representatives at his back had ceased somewhat abruptly and the staring had started more than thirty seconds before and showed no sign to abate.

He could have found out himself, but Han had a clear view of the room behind him and had never minded helping out this way. They always did have each other's back.

 _Nabara is doing very well. Merging deeper with the Force, exploring it's limitations and when and how they can be surpassed._ He added, feeling warmth come from deep within him, wehre the bond between him and hir had settled and made it's home. _Ze's working on perfecting a new Meditation Tecnique, an offshoot of Battle Meditation meant to engender a feeling of peace and calm in one's allies and those surrounding them._

Han's fingers paused in the act of leaving the cutlery he had just rested on his plate, to inform the waiters that he was done with his food too. When he moved them again, after his shields had abrutly rose to shield not him but those around them from himself, it was with deliberate care, as there was a fine tremor running through them.

 _Has ze lost hir's mind?_ He asked, his voice mental calm in a way that was anything but, and as cutting as the obsidian-bladed scalpels Brinia cherished.

Han covered the tremor in his fingers by pretending to pick up his cup, quietly sliding the Force between them and the actual surface of the delicate object to actually raise it, making it look as if his hands were steady enough for him to drink without spilling a drop or damaging the rare piece.

 _To the wrong ears, that would sound like mind manipulation or control of others. Dark Side-ish explorations of someone too deep into the Force to be objective! The fact that ze doesn't mean for it to be misused doesn't mean it wouldn't be! It's the same reason why the Force Illusion is a very rare skill to find in our ranks and one no one who do use it talks about if they can!_ He ranted, his voice deepening and becoming harder as he went on, until it could have etched durasteel.

 _The Rodians elected to ignore each other, it's a marital tiff. The waiter is risking being hauled off by his boss if he doesn't stop panting after you so obviously. He's the one eye-fucking your neck._ The words were very distant and distracted, almost like an afterthought. They sounded so faint that Kail doubted Han had even realized he had sent the analysis along, automatically.

It would have explained the crudeness of the last phrase. While his former padawan was perfectly capable to be crude, extensively and in many a language, he also usually chose to refrain from being so, as he disliked to be thought as uncouth or foul mouthed. Especially the second one, which was the truest of the two.

Kail reached out with the force, metaphorically wrapping his hands around his padawan's and squeezing them gently, sending warmth through the bond and thus through them, to soothe his shocked, scared padawan. _You forget that Nabara is of Yoda's Bear Clan and a project dear to the Grand Master's heart. Her research has been approved by the High Council as well as by other credited experts in the field of Meditation. It is, after all, intended to be a peaceful, harmless application of Battle Meditation._  He explained, his voice carrying the same warmth he had sent through, his tone gentle.

He would have reached for him physically too, if not for the fact that Han had chosen to to keep the appearance of their quiet lunch going. Kail wasn't about to disrespect the man's choice, nor his effort. Especially not to put him in the spot by reacting to a reaction neither of them had let those they were surrounded by perceive.

Han's fingers curled up the tiniest bit around the cup, settling it into his palm by sliding his telekinesis hold off. His posture relaxed too, just the tiniest bit. It would have been a less than graceful slumping down, had they been alone and in a private setting, but they weren't and it wasn't, so that resettling of his weight was all Han indulged into.

 _Thank you, for reminding me of it._ Han sighed, his presence in the Force feeling as if he had just been wrung dry and then tossed around a bit.

 _Your worry does you credit. I was upset too, when she first told me and for the same reasons. To say I reacted poorly is an understatement._ He shared, not wanting Han to start feeling as if he'd done something wrong, as he was liable to do, or as if he'd somehow disappointed his former Master, a pitfall of insecurity his former padawan sometimes still battled on the edge of. It was, of course, the furthest thing from the truth there could be.

 _Naturally, Nabara found it hilarious._ He added, with sheepish ruefulness. When his padawan's laughter died down, he went on. _I am actually impressed by how well you covered your shock. I almost overturned my coffee table, in my haste to jump up and start yelling._

He felt reassured by the light smile that made the corners of Han's lips quirk upward as he silently laughed at his former master's misfortune, assorbing the praise without thinking twice about it. His former padawan's presence in the Force felt much more calm and at ease now and, indeed, his shields lowered a few moments later.

The waiters came and brought their empty plates away, as they let the newly regained peace settle between them.

 _The Rodians have settled for a tense silence. Representative Men Sapp appears to have taken his wife's accusation of being a cheapskate rather personally and while she seems to regret saying it openly she is not about to take her words back. His colleagues are amused at the couple's expenses and making very quiet small talk to cover it._ Han reported, confirming Kail's suspicion that his previous assessment had been offered without conscious thought.

He didn't point it out, not wanting for his padawan to feel embarassed or put on the spot by something that he should have actually been praised for. It was a discussion they had had in precedence and, he suspected, would continue to have still in coming years. One that he, honestly, didn't feel up for now, especially not after Han had just settled down and recentered himself.

 _The staring you feel is from the waiter who was offering himself as private dessert earlier. He seems quite taken with the idea of bedding a Jedi and confident in his chances, if a bit frustrated by your not picking up on his suggestions._ Han finished, looking quite amused by the situation.

"So." He also said, speaking again and breaking the contemplative silence that the onlookers had probably assumed to have fallen between them. "You and Knight Sethek for Art of Movement. It will be a treat to see."

Kail made himself look up, as if startled out of his thoughts, and then smiled. "It will be a treat to perform." He replied. "It's been too long since the two of us shared a training room."

Viceroy Organa was rising from his table, talking quietly to one of his aides. The Force slid past Kail, the undercurrents in the room coming alive and twisting themselves in a new configuration, one that felt forebonding.

Something was about to happen, though there was still a chance it would not come to pass, the Force whispered in his senses. If it did, then other things would change, in a domino fall of events potentially tiny to little to maybe mid-level of importance that could, if all the dominos fell the right way, lead one day, in a not-too-distant future, to another something of not indifferent importance.

And it centered around whatever information the aide was about to give to the Viceroy.


End file.
